Garter and garment-supporter.



F. W. HOELTING.

GARTER AND GARMENT SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FlL ED APR. 14. 1911.

l 5276,7635 Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

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GARTER AND GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Application filed April 14, 1917. SerialNo. 162,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. HOELTING, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Granite City, Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Garter and Garment-Supporters, of which the-follow1ng is a specification containing a scribed and particularlypointed out in the claims which are found at the end of thisspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved garter andgarment-supporter which, in the device itself, shall avoid the use ornecessity of the usual elastic band which encircles the leg of thewearer, while.

at the same time providing the necessary yielding pressure for insuringthe proper contact of the encircling band with the body; and whichimproved device will be simple in construction, reliable in operation,comfortable, and of low cost.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention in the form of a garter.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the same, showing the springcompressed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the garter, with the springdistended, and

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the combined spring and button-loop.

The numeral 1 designates the body-band, which in the presentillustration is in the form of a leg-band of suitable length to encirclethe leg of the wearer, and which band is provided with the usual doubledtakeup portion 2 and buckle 3, for the purpose of adjusting the size ofthe band to fit legs of different diameters, as well as for the purposeoftaking up any stretch which may occur in the band, after the same hasbeen worn a. long time.

A short sliding-stri 4 has fixed to it the usual button-frame 5 y meansof stitches 6 or other common fastening means.

Both the said band 1 and the said slidingstrip 4, are preferably made ofsome suitable non-elastic material, such as leather, as with myinvention elasticity of such parts is not necessary.

A button 7 is carried by the said buttonframe 5, to be engaged by theusual clasp 8, for holding the garter in place upon the leg.

A combined spring and garment clamp 9, which is substantially V-shaped,is preferably made of spring wire, with the usual button-loop 10 at thelower ends of its two arms, to clamp the sock, stocking, or othergarment in the space between said arms.

In the present instance, I have shown a common button 11 and its frame12 attached to the usual'fiexible flap 13, and adapted to cooperate withthe said loop 10, in supporting the garment, in the manner well known.

At the upper end of each arm of said combined spring and garment clamp 9is an integral vertical loop 14, and one end of the said sliding-strip 4passes loosely through the left-hand one of the said vertical loops 14,and extends across the same to the righthand one of said loops 14 and issecured thereto by means of stitches, or by any suitable means.

One end of the body-band -1 is secured by suitable means to the one ofthe said loops 14 which is shown at the left-hand of Figs. 1, 2 and 3,and a guide-piece 15 has one of its ends secured to the same loop, and'its opposite end fixed by stitches or other common means to the saidbody-band at some distance from said end which is secured to said loop,so that a space is formed between said band and said guide-piece, andthe said short strip 4 and the loop 11 to which it is secured slide insaid space.

The said combined spring and garment clamp 9 has its arms incased by asuitable covering 16, for the purpose of preventing the metal fromcoming into contact with the wearers skin, the said flexible strap '13being formed integral with such covering, in the present instance, andbeing thereby secured to the said clamp 9.

The mode of operation of my invention is obvious, and need riot befurther explained, except to say that the combined spring and garmentclamp 9 acts as a combined device in automatically drawing the saidbody-band into close contact with the leg of the wearer, in a mannersimilar to the usual elastic band, and at the same time the loop 10retains the garment in the space be tween the lower portions of the armsof said loop.

'I claim:

1. An improved garter and garment supporter, composed of a suitable bandfor embracing the body, a guide-piece secured at one end to said band,to form a space between the latter and said guide-piece, and a V-shapedspring the free ends of which are arranged to slide within the saidspace between said band and said guide-piece and exert a yielding strainupon the opposite ends of said band, when the device is in use.

2. An improved garter and garment supporter, composed 0 a suitable bandhaving common means for adjusting its eflective length; a guide-piecesecured at one end to said band to form a space between the latter andsaid guide-piece; a V-shaped spring having its free upper ends locatedin said space between said band and said guide piece; a sliding stripalso located in said space and having one of its ends detachably securedto one end of said band and its opposite end fixedito one of the ends ofsaid V-shaped spring, to move therewith in said space; the end of saidband which is opposite the one to which said sliding-strip is .to besecured being fixed to the end of said FRANK W. HOELTING.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. HIeDoN, JOHN C. HIGDON.

